Image Altering Apparatus and Method for Providing Confidential Viewing of a Fundamental Display Image

1. An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising: a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels; b. means for generating a fundamental image on said display, said fundamental image having at least one color component corresponding to each of said pixels; c. means for modifying said fundamental image to generate a compound image which is substantially featureless, said compound image including at least one compound color component corresponding to each of said pixels; d. each said compound color component being comprised of at least one said color component of a predetermined intensity and wavelength, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color component of the same said wavelength, wherein each said inverse color component has an intensity which is determined as a function of said corresponding color component, such that the time-weighted average of said intensities of all said color components and said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same for each said compound color component of said compound image; e. means for extracting said fundamental image from said compound image for viewing only by the viewer.

2. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each said compound color component is comprised of at least one said color component, time multiplexed alternately with at least one corresponding said inverse color component thereof.

3. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each said compound color component is comprised of at least one said color component, time multiplexed randomly with at least one said corresponding inverse color component thereof.

4. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each said compound color component is comprised of at least one said color component, time multiplexed sequentially with at least one said inverse color component thereof.

5. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes an electronic shutter, time synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

6. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said means for modifying said fundamental image includes electronic circuitry capable of generating a compound image signal representative of said compound image, said compound image signal having at least one compound color data component which is composed of at least one color data component, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said color data component and said corresponding inverse color data component are representative of one said color component and corresponding said inverse color component, respectively, of said compound image.

7. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , including means for generating an overlay image on said display, said overlay image having at least one overlay color component time multiplexed with a corresponding said compound color component to produce an image visible to the naked eye which appears to be overlayed on said substantially featureless compound image.

8. The image altering apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each said overlay color component of said overlay image has a cyclical display sequence synchronized with the display sequence of said inverse color component of said corresponding compound color component.

9. The image altering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one variable polarizer, constructed to alternate between separate polarization states in sync with the multiplexing of each said color component and corresponding said inverse color component of said compound image.

10. The image altering apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes passive polarized eyewear constructed to cooperate with said variable polarizer to effectively block each said inverse color component of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

11. The image altering apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes active polarized eyewear constructed to cooperate with said variable polarizer to effectively block each said inverse color component of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

12. An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising: a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels; b. means for generating a fundamental image signal having at least one color data component corresponding to each of said pixels, each said color data component being representative of a color component of a fundamental image; c. means for modifying said fundamental image signal to generate a compound image signal having at least one compound color data component corresponding to each of said pixels; d. each said compound color data component being comprised of at least one said color data component of a predetermined amplitude, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said inverse color data component has an amplitude which is determined as a function of said amplitude of said corresponding color data component, such that transmission of said compound image signal to said pixels will produce a substantially featureless image on said display; e. means for transmitting said compound image signal to said pixels, thereby displaying said substantially featureless image to the viewer on said display; f. means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image for viewing only by the viewer.

13. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each said inverse color data component of a corresponding said color data component is representative of a corresponding inverse color component, and said amplitude of each said inverse color data component is determined such that the time-weighted average of the intensities of all said color components and said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same for each of said pixels.

14. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said plurality of pixels cover only a portion of said display.

15. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes means for blocking each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

16. The image altering apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes an electronic shutter, time synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image.

17. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each said compound color data component is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed alternately with at least one corresponding said inverse color data component thereof.

18. The image altering apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said fundamental image signal includes a plurality of said color data components corresponding to each of said pixels, thereby generating a plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels.

19. The image altering apparatus of claim 18 , wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes an electronic shutter, time synchronized to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

20. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each said compound color data component is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed sequentially with at least one said inverse color data component thereof.

21. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each said compound color data component is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed sequentially with a plurality of said inverse color data components thereof.

22. The image altering apparatus of claim 20 or 21 , wherein said fundamental image includes a plurality of color components corresponding to each of said pixels, thereby generating a plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels.

23. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each said compound color data component is comprised of at least one said color data component, time multiplexed randomly with at least one corresponding said inverse color data component.

24. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , including means for generating an overlay image signal, said overlay image signal having at least one overlay color data component time multiplexed with a corresponding said compound color data component to produce an image on said display which is visible to the naked eye, and which appears to be overlaid on said substantially featureless image.

25. The image altering apparatus of claim 24 , wherein each said color data component of said fundamental image signal and each said overlay color data component is compressed in amplitude, and each said overlay color data component is added to said inverse color data component of its said corresponding compound color data component of said compound image signal.

26. The image altering apparatus of claim 24 , wherein each said overlay color data component of said overlay image is added to said inverse color data component of said corresponding compound color data component with which it is multiplexed for simultaneously transmission therewith to said pixels of said display.

27. The image altering apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one variable polarizing means for blocking the display of each said inverse color data component from the view of the viewer.

28. The image altering apparatus of claim 27 , wherein said variable polarizing means includes a variable polarizing screen overlay and cooperating polarized eyewear.

29. An image altering apparatus for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising: a. a display comprised of a plurality of pixels; b. means for generating a fundamental image signal having at least one color data component corresponding to each of said pixels, each said color data component being representative of a fundamental color component of a fundamental image; c. means for modifying said fundamental image signal to generate a compound image signal having at least one compound color data component corresponding to each of said pixels; d. each said compound color data component being comprised of at least one said color data component of a predetermined amplitude, time multiplexed with at least one corresponding inverse color data component thereof, wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component and has an amplitude which is determined as a function of said amplitude of said corresponding color data component, such that the time-weighted average of the intensities of all said fundamental color components and corresponding said inverse color components is substantially equal for each said color component of said compound image signal; e. means for transmitting said compound image signal to said pixels, thereby displaying a substantially featureless image to the viewer on said display; f. means for extracting said fundamental image from said substantially featureless image for viewing only by the viewer.

30. The image altering apparatus of claim 29 , wherein said compound image signal includes a plurality of compound color data components corresponding to each of said pixels which have a cyclical display sequence determined in accordance with the following table: R F R I G F G I B F B I a. where R F , G F , and B F represent said color data components corresponding to the colors red, green and blue, respectively, of said color components of said fundamental image; and b. where R I , G I , and B I represent corresponding red, green and blue said inverse color data components of said color data components R F , G F and B F , respectively.

31. The image altering apparatus of claim 30 , wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes an electronic shutter, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

32. The image altering apparatus of claim 30 , wherein each said inverse color data component is representative of an inverse color component of said substantially featureless image, and said means for extracting said fundamental image includes at least one variable polarizer, time synchronized with said display sequence of said compound color data components to block each said inverse color component of said substantially featureless image from the view of the viewer.

33. The structure defined in claim 32 , wherein said variable polarizer alternates between a plurality of polarization states in sync with said fundamental color data components and said corresponding inverse color data components thereof.

34. The structure defined in claim 32 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes passive polarized eyeglasses.

35. The structure defined in claim 32 , wherein said means for extracting said fundamental image includes active polarized eyeglasses which alternate between a plurality of polarization states in sync with said variable polarizer.

36. A method for providing confidential viewing of a fundamental display image by a viewer, comprising the steps of: a. providing a display comprised of a plurality of pixels and means for generating a fundamental image on said display, whereby said fundamental image has at least one color component of a predetermined intensity and wavelength corresponding to each of said pixels; b. modifying said fundamental image by time multiplexing each said color component at each said pixel with at least one corresponding inverse color component of the same said wavelength, wherein each said inverse color component has an intensity which is determined as a function of the intensity of said corresponding color component, such that the composition of all color components and inverse color components forms a substantially featureless compound image; and c. extracting said fundamental image from said compound image for viewing only by the intended viewer through time-synchronized means of blocking said inverse color components of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

37. The method set forth in claim 36 , wherein said fundamental image includes a plurality of said color components, and said step of modifying said fundamental image includes time multiplexing each said color component at each said pixel with at least one corresponding inverse color component thereof, such that the time-weighted average of the intensity of each said color component and all said corresponding inverse color components thereof is substantially the same as for all other said color components and corresponding inverse color components corresponding to the same said pixel.

38. The method set forth in claim 36 , wherein said step of extracting said fundamental image includes the use of an electronic shutter, time synchronized to block said inverse color components of said compound image from the view of the viewer.

39. The method set forth in claim 36 , including the step of providing means for generating an overlay image on said display which, to the naked eye, appears overlayed on said substantially featureless compound image, said overlay image being blocked from the view of the intended viewer through the use of said time-synchronized blocking means.

40. The method set forth in claim 36 , wherein said step of extracting said fundamental image includes the use of a variable polarizer, time synchronized to block said inverse color components of said compound image from the view of the viewer.